You and I
by AGuyWhoUsedToWrite
Summary: Welcome to #SnowBarryWeek2019! For the entire duration, this story will feature 7 independent chapters dedicated to my favorite couple Caitlin Snow and Barry Allen. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

Welcome to #SnowBarry Week. I believe most of you know already know what this is all about. It's a week filled with nothing but #Snowbarry content and trust me, we all need that right now. In my case, this week will contain some stories where Barry is not a superhero but an ordinary man. These are the type of stories that I wanted to write about and I'm thankful that I had the motivation to do so. Unlike my last entries, these chapters are fully independent of each other. I hope that what I've written will be enjoyable to everyone.

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**Day 1: College Sweethearts**

Even in the middle of winter, with Jack Frost working his magic outside the wedding venue, Barry found himself a little hot under the collar. His fingers fidgeted with his tie for the nth time. He knew that while there was nothing wrong, it was his anxiety that was getting the better of him. He forced his fingers to remain still, placing them on his lap but then his foot took over, rapidly tapping against the marble tile which earned him an annoyed look from his neighbor. "Sorry." He muttered, his cheeks turning slightly red. He took a deep breath and looked around, hoping that there would something that can distract him.

Anything that can take his mind off this wedding.

A part of him wished that he stayed in his apartment, there were a lot of case files that needed to be reviewed. That would have been the most logical choice given that he had no right to intervene with her life. Not after being estranged all these years; but the other part of him, the hopeless romantic side, couldn't let this go. It was only two weeks ago when she stepped back into his life, calling him out of the blue to meet her for drinks. He should've declined but something tugged on his heartstrings until he finally accepted.

Perhaps it was hope. Perhaps it was something else but if he was being honest with himself, he missed her. After all, she was his college sweetheart, his first love and even though it's been three years... there was still a part of him that still loves her.

They decided to meet at a bar. Their first encounter was a little awkward, but they soon fell back into old habits. It was almost like they had never broken up in the first place but when he saw that ring on her finger, it only reminded him that she was no longer his. His heart ached once more, memories of that day when he saw her for the last time. He didn't want to ask about her fiancé or when their nuptials would be but that would've been rude. He forced himself to ask, smiling as he hid behind an emotional mask.

"It's a December wedding." She said, her eyes looking downward at the table. Her lips remained pursed, almost as if she was deep in thought.

He knew that she hated the cold, even with a last name like hers but he held his tongue. It wasn't his place to chime in. He wasn't her boyfriend anymore. He was just an acquaintance. "That's nice. It'll make for one hell of a picture." That was a lie. It wasn't nice at all. The Caitlin he knew would've wanted a spring wedding, choosing to have the ceremony in the middle of a meadow, surrounded by their closest friends and family as they exchanged vows.

"It is isn't it?"

"I'm happy for you." He tried to muster as much feelings as he could, but it still felt empty. He only hoped that she bought it.

They chatted for a few more minutes before he was ready to call it quits. He couldn't sit there any longer, pretending that he was fine with this. It was pure torture just knowing that she was about to start her life with another man...

A man that wasn't him.

It was one thing if she wasn't about to be married but that wasn't the case. He could've accepted that they could've remained friends but this? This wasn't something that he could accept. Not wholeheartedly. As he was getting up from his seat, he heard a faint whisper. Barely audible and faint that he had to ask her again.

"Would you come to the wedding as my guest?"

His first instinct was to decline. Why would any man want to see the love of his life walk down the aisle with someone else? It was painful enough just being here tonight. The way that her natural beauty entranced his soul the moment he stepped through those doors. He had forgotten how it felt to really be in love until he saw her again.

"I can't."

She reached for his hand, firmly grabbing them and pleaded with those eyes of hers. Those big beautiful brown eyes. He hesitated until she tugged again, almost if she wanted him to do something more. It would be days later when he would still think about this moment, many sleepless nights spent rolling around in his bed, trying to understand but he found no viable answer.

Nothing made sense.

They continued to meet up regularly; this bar near his apartment. This restaurant near hers. It was innocent, just a couple of old friends getting back in each other's life. They would talk about anything and everything but the one topic that never came up was her wedding. It was the white elephant in the room. Both of them knew it was coming but neither one of them wanted this to end. He was mentally counting down the days when she would disappear from his life again.

The first time it happened, he spent weeks in bed crying over her but not this time. This time was going to be different. He tried to ignore the aching feeling in his chest, constantly having to remind himself that this is what she wants, and her happiness was the only thing that mattered. That's why he's sitting here; waiting for the ceremony to begin. Music soon began playing, a lovely ballad that reminded him of her.

He looked around, staring at the decorations inside the church and it didn't feel like Caitlin. The flowers were white and pink roses, a very generic and bland pick. She would've chosen purple and blue hydrangeas, flowers that reminded her of spring.

Of a warmer time. Her favorite season.

The song continued to play, and he had enough. He stood up and excused himself, mustering up the courage to find her. He followed the signs of giggling bridesmaids, who wore a shade of pink. A color that he knew she hated.

His feet stopped in front of a wooden door and before he could knock, it swung open and caught him by surprise.

"Barry!?" Caitlin exclaimed, eyes widened. "What are you doing here? Don't you know its bad luck to see the bride before the ceremony?"

He couldn't tear his eyes away, the sight of her rendering him speechless. She was just so beautiful, the way that her hair shimmered against her veil. "I'm sorry." He apologized but before he could say anything else, he saw her soon to be husband in there with her. "I didn't mean to interrupt."

"Damn right you're interrupting. Can you please return to your seat? Caitlin and I are in the middle of a discussion."

"Jensen!" Caitlin scolded but it fell on deaf ears.

"What? What on earth could be more important than our conversation right now?" Jensen threw his hands in the air, clearly frustrated with the situation. He turned around and stalked away, glaring at Barry the entire time. "Well? Get on with it already. We don't have all day."

Barry could feel the tension in the room, it was so thick that a dull butter-knife could've easily sliced through. He took one look at Jensen before turning back to Caitlin. Caitlin, the woman who he was still in love with. Caitlin, the woman who was going to be married in less than ten minutes. Reality soon hit him, and he felt his legs starting to waver. Just like his courage.

"Barry?" Caitlin softly asked, her eyes curiously staring at him. "Are you okay? Is something wrong?"

He held his hand up, shaking his head. "One second." He murmured. He took several deep breaths, silently reminding himself why he was here in the first place. "Caitlin..."

"Oh for Christ's sake." Jensen snarled, getting impatient. "What the hell do you want man? What do you want with my wife?!"

She was angry. It didn't take a genius to tell. Just someone who really loves her would've known. His eyes landed on Jensen, who remained oblivious to the fact that his future wife was about to start throwing things at him. "Come with me." He whispered, catching her attention. It was just three little words but those words, as soon as it left his mouth, weighted more than the tallest mountain.

Caitlin blinked twice, her hands nervously shaking as she reached for his hand. "D-do you know what you're asking Barry?"

She was giving him an out. An escape in case he changed his mind, but he didn't take it. He took one look at Jensen, who still had no clue what was going on before turning his attention back to her. "I do." He sincerely answered. He gently squeezed her hand, an old habit that he used to do whenever she needed reassurance. "You know he's not the one for you." He paused and his lips tugged upwards. "None of those guys are."

"And you think you're the one?" She asked, her brow raised in question.

There was a time when he would have backed down, shying away from her but not anymore. He met her gaze, silently communicating that the Barry she knew, the old boyfriend Barry was no more. This Barry was an adult, hardened by reality. "I'm the only one." He confidently replied. "Come with me Caitlin."

She bit her lips, conflicted with the decision. "Barry..."

Enough was enough. Jensen watched the two of them interacted and while not a lot was said between them, there was something about this man that irritated him. "Get your hands off her." He growled. He stormed over and tried to pushed Barry away. "I think it's time you left."

Barry easily stood his ground, brushing the man's hand off his shoulder. "You don't even know what you have do you?" He challenged. "Do you even realize just how special she is?"

Jensen scoffed. "Of course I do. I'm the one who proposed. I know how special she is and if she was anything less than that, I wouldn't have wasted my time with her and who the hell do you think you are? What kind of bullshit are you trying to pull by waltzing in here? Do you even know who I am?"

"You don't get it man. Caitlin isn't some kind of prize that you win because of what she can bring. She's the type of person that you want to be with because of who she is. To me, she is my better half. She is my past, my present and most importantly my future."

"You son of a -"

"Jensen stop!" Caitlin cried, putting herself between the two men. She stepped in front of Barry, hands stretched outward if to protect him. "Enough Jensen."

"Cait..."

"Cait?!" Jensen yelled. "CAIT!? This nobody gets to call you that, but I can't?" He pushed past Caitlin, his hands already in the air and poised for Barry's throat. This was ridiculous. It was his wedding day. He shouldn't have to defend his love to a nobody. He should be at the altar, waiting for his wife to walk down the aisle so that they can be married.

It was a blur. Everything happened so fast that Barry didn't even know what happened. He saw Jensen coming at him, those eyes filled with rage. Years of training from the police academy kicked in and before he knew it, his body reacted. The groom found himself on the floor, locked in a half-nelson hold. "You're right. I am just a nobody but this nobody knows that nothing about this wedding screams Caitlin. The flowers, the decorations. The outfits that the wedding party are wearing. Do you even know her at all?" Barry asked once more, firmly pinning Jensen to the ground.

"I'm going to make you pay." Jensen grunted, his face turning red from both embarrassment and anger. He struggled constantly, doing everything he can to break away. "I have friends in high places. I have unimaginable resources at my fingertips. You're going to regret putting your hands on me you bastard."

Barry ignored him and focused his attention on Caitlin. "I'm not going to force you Cait... I lost you once and that was my fault. I should've followed you back then, but I was afraid. I was scared that I was only holding you back but I'm here now. I can't give you the life that he would've offered but I can promise that I'll love you until the day I die. Our life will be filled with laughter and happiness. Sadness and anger but no matter what happens, it's going to be filled with love."

Caitlin merely nodded, her eyes doing the talking for her. Tears streamed down the side of her cheeks, a smile on her face. This was why she reached out to him in the first place. She needed to know if there was anything still there between Barry and herself. She needed to know one last time if her college sweetheart... her soul mate, was still there. She had her doubts about Jensen and today only proved her right.

She wasn't meant to be with him. She was meant to be with Barry. Right by his side... loving him each step along the way.

"What do you say Cait... Do you want to come with me?"

"Yes." She breathed out, pulling him off Jensen and brushed her lips against his. Her body screamed in pleasure, her hands finding their away up to his neck, wrapping themselves around him. "It was always you." She said between kisses. "I'm so sorry it took me this long."

"Really? The nobody?" Jensen coughed, scooting backwards until his back hit the wall. "You're going to leave me, the love of your life, for him?!"

They turned around and while Caitlin glared at her now ex-fiancé, Barry took the high road. "Thank you for taking care of Caitlin for me." His words were sincere and they were truthful. "You were there when I couldn't have been and for that, I'm grateful but I promise you. If you _ever_ come near her with the intent of getting back at me, I'm going to make you regret it. You may have friends in high places but I guarantee you that those friends like me more."

Jensen wisely kept his mouth shut, the adrenaline leaving his body. "Caitlin... Please don't do this. I love you." He said, pleading with her. "Whatever I did wrong. I can fix it. I can change! I promise that I will change! Just don't leave me."

Barry looked at Caitlin, who only shook her head. "I'm sorry Jensen. It's not you. It's me." She explained. "I just hope that someday... you can find it in yourself to forgive me." She took a step back, going closer to the door. "I'm sorry." She turned and reached for Barry's hand, pulling him out of the room as they made a dash for the back exit.

They ran past several nuns, ignoring the look of surprise on their faces. Barry muttered a quick apology as they continued down the hallway. No words were needed, they both knew where they needed to go. The backdoor swung open, the cold breeze of winter reminding them of their surroundings. Caitlin started shivering but before she could conceal anything, a warm fabric draped itself over her frame. She smiled to herself, further proving to herself that she made the correct choice.

"Sorry... I didn't exactly plan this far out." He rubbed the back of his neck, his cheeks turning red. "I think my car is up the block this way..." He looked around for a few seconds, trying to get a bearing on his location. He knew that he parked several blocks away but with the snow coming down, he couldn't remember which direction they needed to go. He opened his mouth to utter an apology but before he could get out a word, he felt her lips on his.

He relaxed into the kiss, choosing to go with the flow instead of questioning her. His arms automatically went up to her waist, wrapping themselves around her. His fingers lingered around the soft white fabric of her wedding gown and all he could think about was how much he wanted to get her out of it.

"I love you Barry Allen."

His heart soared from hearing those words. The three little words that made him feel like he could do anything. An idea suddenly popped into his mind and before she had a chance to react, he picked her up and slowly spun her around, tiny white snowflakes falling alongside them. It didn't matter where his car was parked. It didn't matter if she was almost married to another man.

The only thing that truly mattered to him was her. "I love you Caitlin Snow. Always and forever."

~Fin

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This is chapter one for day one. Please leave me a review with your thoughts/comments if you enjoyed this chapter.


	2. Chapter 2

Here's chapter 2. Is it just me or does it feel weird that when I type Caity, I'm thinking about Caity Lotz and not Caitlin?

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**Day 2: Not quite the damsel in distress**

"Of all the marks you could have picked, you decided to pick little ole me." Frost sang, smiling as she stood in front of those thugs. "It's a shame though. I was going to let you walk out of here with a few bruises but I changed my mind."

"Wh-why?" One of the thugs asked, his legs shaking. "We haven't done anything. We weren't. Honest."

She laughed. "So you weren't going to do anything when you chased us into this alleyway?"

"No?"

Her eyes flashed white and before that thug realized it, a white blast of ice hit him square in the chest, sending him straight into the wall behind him. "Lies." She growled, slowly walking towards them. It was their fault in the first place, coming after Caity. "I've seen reports of an increase of muggings in this neighborhood. I was wondering when it would be my turn."

The remaining two thugs pulled out their weapons, a switchblade and a pistol. She scoffed. Do they take her for some petty superhero like stretch? She was Killer Frost and there was no one in the underworld - especially in the underworld - who didn't know her. "Really boys?" She sighed and started walking over there, her hands glowing white. "Please tell me one of you has the brains to see that you can't win this fight."

Neither one of them said anything but she saw the look on their faces, the fear in their eyes. She heard Caity telling her to let them go but she didn't listen. If she did, her reputation would take a hit and then knuckleheads like these two would pop up like weeds thinking they had a shot of taking her down.

She couldn't have that.

She won't have that.

The one with the pistol step forward first, puffing out his chest like it was going to make him look more dangerous. She mentally laughed but Caity still reminded her to be careful. "I can hold my own Caity. After all, I took on Cicada and won."

He flinched at the name. She noticed that and only grinned. "So you know what happened."

"So-So what? Cicada's gone but I'm still here. That means I have a chance to waste you!" He pulled the trigger, several shots coming out at once. She quickly waved her hands in a circular motion, creating a shield made out of ice. It was several inches thick, the bullets not even enough to put a dent in it. He continued firing until the clip was emptied. The clicky-clacky sounds of the trigger was evident of that.

"My turn." She announced, smiling as she ran forward. The guy screamed but it didn't last long. She rammed her knee forcefully into his gut, causing him to stagger backwards while hunched over. Tears came out of his eyes as he tried to pick his head up but he couldn't get out any words. Not when he was met with a blast of ice that sent him crashing into a nearby dumpster.

It felt satisfying, strangely therapeutic as she took them down one by one.

The last one weakly held his switchblade out, his hand shaking. "Nuts to this!" He threw the blade at her and made a run for it. She easily dodged the projectile and summoned two icicles, each twice the size of his blade. It might have been an unfair advantage but who said anything about life being fair. They chose to come after Caity and that was their first mistake. Their second mistake was when she asked them to leave her alone, they didn't listen. Their third mistake was when they touched her. She could feel Caity's disgust and that was enough.

When she emerged from Caity, the look of terror was pure ecstasy for her. A memory that she would forever cherish.

"Don't you idiots know it's the twenty-first century? Women aren't the weaker sex anymore."

"I'm sorry! I didn't know. I'll start treating them with respect. I'll build shrines for them. Just don't kill me!"

Frost rolled her eyes and threw a blast of ice, knocking him out. "Idiots." She muttered and then crossed her hands against her chest. "Why are all men idiots?" She asked out loud. There was no response and even in her subconscious she could feel Caity's curiosity. She scowled and turned towards the dumpster. "I know you're there Flash. Stop pretending like you're not. I can sense your body heat. Someone like you shouldn't play hide and seek with someone like me." She paused and then chuckled. "I'll find you every time."

The space that she was staring at started shifting, or more specifically, started vibrating until a figure emerged. Barry stood there in his flash costume with a grin on his face. "What? I was just admiring your technique."

She snorted. "Why are you even here? I know Caity didn't call for backup."

"I know." Barry sheepishly answered. "Cisco noticed that there was a major drop in temperature and the scanners picked something up so I came to check it out." He then held his hands up, waving them around when he noticed just how quiet Frost was. "Not that you needed me to check you out." His eyes widened and he fervently shook his head. "I didn't mean it like that. I've never checked you out... I mean not on purpose. I mean is it really considered me checking you out if you're just standing there and I was just observing?"

Frost could feel Caitlin giggling but she merely stood there, trying to look bored. Barry saw the look but continued to babble, trying to correct his words until he finally stopped, running a hand down his face as if he was trying to reset himself. "I was just trying to make sure you were okay Frost."

"Don't you mean Caitlin?" She teased, "You don't need to worry about me. I'm a lot more durable."

"What-? No! That's not the point. It doesn't matter if you're more... durable..." He said, using her words. "You're important to me and I don't think I can live with myself if anything happened to the both of you."

"Is that so Flash?" She said, intentionally rolling his hero name off her tongue. "Who were you worried about more?"

Barry coughed, his cheeks sporting a small hint of pink. "This isn't a contest Frost." He answered, trying to stay neutral. "I was equally worried about the both of you."

"You know I can take care of myself, right?" Frost replied, "I have powers so it's not like I'm some kind helpless damsel in distress." She then gestured to those thugs lying unconscious in the alleyway. "Perhaps you need to revisit Exhibit A."

He winced, knowing first hand just how deadly her ice powers were. "Believe me, I know." He answered, his voice a little raspy. "The first time we met, I believe you sliced off my tendons."

"I think we did more than that handsome." She whispered, her finger drawing small circles on his chest. "Perhaps we can reenact that memory. I promise that it'll end a lot better this time around."

He suddenly choked, unsure how to respond to that. He stayed silent, focusing himself look at everything but her. "We should get these guys to the precinct." Just as he was about to walk away, he felt her hands on his arm and he stopped.

"You didn't really answer my question Flash."

It was a simple touch, a simple gesture but it felt him feeling warmer than he did a few seconds ago. He turned his head and saw those big innocent eyes of hers. His mind instantly went to Caitlin but instead of brown, he saw blue. "Just admit it, you were worried about Caitlin." He heard her question and his first instinct was to say yes. The word was even on the tip of his tongue but it didn't come out. It wasn't true.

Not anymore.

"No I wasn't." He sincerely answered. Frost was about to interject when Barry stopped her. He saw that little pout on her face and he just smiled. His heart sped up a little and he knew that his little crush on her wasn't so little anymore. It was hard not to fall in love with her. With the both of them. "It doesn't matter if you have powers or not. It doesn't matter if you're Killer Frost or Caitlin Snow. I'm always going to worry because that's who I am. I'm not looking down on who you are. I would never intentionally do that but the both of you are very important to me and I wouldn't know what I would do..."

"Nothing's going to happen." Frost answered, standing firmly on her answer. "And if they did, they're going to wish they ever crossed paths with us." To exemplify her point, her hands started to glow white. Tiny shards of ice materializing out of thin air. "I'll take on anyone to protect Caity... and by that extent... you as well."

"I know." Barry said, walking away and picking up the closest thug to him. He then stopped and turned towards her, pausing for a second. "I'm glad that Cait has you Frost."

His words echoed through her mind and Frost could feel Caitlin smiling back, her emotions riding high. She was about to say something else when he vanished in a blur, leaving her alone in an empty alleyway. In a matter of seconds, the other bodies disappeared but every time, she could feel his eyes on her, even if he didn't stay long.

"So this is the guy who has your heart huh Caity?" She could feel her nodding. "You should tell him how you feel. Who knows? Maybe it'll be a good thing."

"Frost!" Caity protested. "We're not like that!"

"Whatever you say Caity. Whatever you say but if he breaks your heart. I'm going to break him."

~Fin

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So many ideas... So little time.


	3. Chapter 3

This chapter was based on something real. The only difference is that in this chapter, there was a happy ending. Don't let any moments passed by without a second though. You'll never know when it'll just be another memory.

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**Day 3: Letters**

This was his summer vacation, the three consecutive months out of the year where Barry was actually home from college. He could've spent his break traveling to Europe with the rest of his friends but he didn't. His parents offered to cover the trip for him, just like their parents did for them but he politely declined. Maybe next year he explained. He saw the curious looks on their face but they trusted him enough to know that if there was a problem, he would tell them.

Several days have past since that conversation and he was no closer to an answer. Barry laid on his bed, looking up on the ceiling as he halfheartedly threw a rubber ball into the air. The question lingered in his mind, constantly reminding him that he was still no closer to an answer than he was days ago.

What did he want to do with his life?

He was already two years in on a four year scholarship, switching majors twice and he still had no clue what he wanted to do with his life. His days were spent staring at random objects in his room, hoping for some kind of inspiration but nothing came. His mother, on the other hand, told him that if he was just going to stay up in his room, he should at least clean it.

She reminded him every day before leaving work in the morning and once again during lunch when she came home.

"Barry. The room please!"

He heard his mother shouted as she walked out of the house, closing the door behind her. He sighed and sat up, shaking his head. His room wasn't that messy. He argued that it was perfectly arranged in such a way that he knew where everything was but he quickly lost that argument when he found cleaning supplies sitting outside his door the next day. He avoid this chore for as long as he can but he guess it was time. With a broom in one hand and a vacuum in the other, he embarked on his journey to clean his room.

It didn't take him long to sort out the mess, dividing his room up into sectors. He would do the easier tasks first, such as setting aside anything he didn't want or need anymore. Old textbooks from freshmen year. Several broken microscopes that he's forgotten to throw away. It was all of these little knick-knacks that he collected over the years that are now going into the ever growing trash pile. His eyes soon drifted downwards to the bottom shelf of his bookcase, where an old fireproof deposit box sat. He had forgotten about the contents inside and out of curiosity, decided to open it back up.

Barry coughed a few times from the amount of dust that had built up around the box but after a few seconds of waving his hand around to clear the air, his eyes widened when he recognized those letters. He wasn't usually this sentimental to keep letters lying around but they were from Caitlin. His lips turned upward into a smile as he thought of her, his best friend. They didn't see each other as much as they wanted to, with them being off in different colleges and all but back then, she would send him letters each month, spending time doodling and writing little notes on the envelope.

Each letter was different and depending on what the occasion was, she would find a way to make it special. He still remembered that for his birthday, she filled the envelope with confetti and glitter, which promptly fell out when he opened it but needlessly to say, he didn't mind spending the next hour cleaning it up if it meant hearing her melodious laughter over the phone.

Even to this day, it was still in there.

All of this reminded him of those forgotten feelings, memories of Caitlin Snow etched into his heart. He wondered what she's been up to, unable to recall when the last time he spoke to her was. He pulled out his phone and scrolled down to the contact history only to find out that it's been a few months since they last spoke. A feeling of regret flickered over him as he looked at the letters sitting on the floor, trying to justify why they stopped communicating in the first place but he found nothing.

He couldn't. It was his fault. He got lost in his busy schedule and along the way, he had forgotten about her. He didn't even get a chance to open her last letter. He picked it up and slowly admired the time and effort she put into decorating these. "Damn it Caitlin..." He softly said, unable to tear his eyes away. He read through the letter and it left him speechless. He had to reread it again just to make sure he didn't misunderstand. "I'm such an idiot."

By the second read-through, he dropped the letter onto the bed and he felt his heart pounding. He took a step back and started pacing around the room, trying to make sense of it all. In that letter, Caitlin hinted about how she would love to spend a day with someone special. How that someone would show up on her front porch holding a small blue balloon in the shape of her favorite animal and then whisk her away to spend the day at her favorite spot. At first, he thought she was just telling him what her dream date would be but then there were these other clues in the letter asking if he would perhaps come visit for a weekend but since it was already the summer, that plan went out the window.

Barry groaned and flopped onto the bed, carefully avoiding the letters. She was his best friend and even now, acting on those feelings of his might be a mistake. Sure, he had a crush on her when they were younger but nothing had happened. Not when he knew they would be going to different colleges and he wasn't a fan of the long distance relationship. He turned his head and saw the letter lying there and he picked it up once more.

There was that heart emoji that she added next to her name and he knew that he had to try. "Get it together Barry." He muttered to himself. "It's not over yet. So what if it's been a few months? It's just a few months. Feelings like this doesn't disappear that fast." He continued to pace around and in the end, he threw caution to the wind. The more he thought about it, the more it made sense to him. Why shouldn't they be together? He couldn't think of one reason why they shouldn't. Even with long distance, he firmly believes that they could make it work.

It was Caitlin and Barry after all.

Not wasting another second, he ran out of his room and downstairs to the garage. On his way, he sent a text to his mom telling her that he was stepping out for something important and that he won't be home for dinner tonight. He didn't wait for a response as he rummage through several storage boxes that was down there. It didn't take him long but he eventually found what he was looking for. His small helium tank and a pack of balloons. They were leftovers from the time he had a part time job as an assistant to their local clown club.

Yes, even in Keystone, they had a clown club.

He may not have gotten the act down of making complex animals but he could make a dog. It would be a weiner dog but it was better than nothing. He tried to recall the exact steps but after popping the first five, he realized that it was pointless and perhaps that he should just buy one. He picked up the remaining items and tossed them into the backseat of his jeep. He stared at them before shaking his head, telling himself not to try again.

Slowly backing out of the driveway, he sped down the local streets and drove towards Caitlin's house. As his foot stepped on the petal to speed up, so did his heart. His palms felt sweaty against the steering wheel and his mouth started going dry. The only thing going through his head was her. All he could think about was Caitlin and his heart responded with several loud thumps against his chest.

As he pulled into her family's driveway, his hand slowly turned off the ignition and left the key in place, unsure on what to do with the balloons. He sighed and turned around, reaching for them and decided to give it one more try. After a few minutes of twisting the balloons, he ended up with a weirdly looking animal but he figured it was the thought that counts. He carefully exited the car and stood in front of the gate, wondering if it's not too late to turn back.

There was that option to leave. To get back into his car and drive away. She wouldn't have known that he was here but he couldn't. He didn't want to leave. Not when he's come so far. He walked past the gate and slowly walked up, each step resonating with the beat of his heart. "The worse thing that can happen is that she just slams the door in your face. You guys can still be friends. Just awkward friends and this town is big enough that we wouldn't run into each other. It'll be fine."

He sighed one last time and pressed the button, a loud ring echoing through the property. He started to silently pray to whoever was listening that he wouldn't make a fool of himself. He could hear footsteps from the other side and he took a deep breathe. As the door opened, his mouth started moving on its own. "Hi Caitlin." He blurted out but unfortunately for him, it wasn't Caitlin but her mother.

He immediately blushed and his eyes suddenly found the floor very interesting. "Hi Mrs. Tannhauser..." He shyly greeted, silently hoping that the earth would open up and swallow him right now. "Is Caitlin home?" The words came out muffled. "I mean it's okay... if she's not."

The elder woman merely smiled in return, her eyes twinkling. "Why hello Barry. Are you already done for the semester?" She asked before stepping outside. "Let me take a good look at you. I can't believe how tall you've grown. Why just last year you weren't even as tall as me!" Barry was about to open his mouth to respond when she cut him off, noticing the balloon animal in his hand. "Is that for me or for my daughter?" She asked teasingly.

"It's for your daughter..." He mumbled, feeling a little uncomfortable. "I can bring one for you next time though..."

"That would be lovely dear. Now, I believe you were here to see my daughter. Is that correct?"

Barry merely nodded, feeling a little hot under the collar. "That's right." He answered. "Is she home?"

"Yes she is dear. Why don't you go on up to her room? She's been in there all day studying and perhaps you can be the distraction that she needs."

"I can do that." He answered, stepping into the house. "It was lovely seeing you." He took a deep breathe and started walking up the stairs, one step at a time, still feeling her eyes on him.

"Don't make me a grandmother just yet Barry. Your mother and I aren't quite ready for that yet."

His eyes widened and like every other male his age, choked on those words and almost missed a step. He stopped promptly and was about to deny everything when all he heard was laughter coming from her. His cheeks flushed as he continued upward, trying to push that mental image out of his head. It's been months since he last visited but his feet were on autopilot, taking him down the hall and making a right turn which put him in front of Caitlin's room. The door was slightly ajar and she couldn't see him but he could see her.

She was sitting by her desk, her brow furrowed as she chewed on her pen while reading from her textbook. His heart swooned at the image, a smile slowly grimacing his face. It was so picture perfect, the sight before him taking his breathe away. After a few seconds, he raised his hand and knocked on the door, catching her by surprise. "Hi... Caitlin..." He greeted.

Caitlin immediately looked up, surprised to see someone other than her mother in the house. Her eyes widened, surprised to see her best friend standing there. Her first action was to put the book down and quickly smooth out her hair, making sure that there wasn't a single strand that was out of place. Her cheeks flushed as she felt his eyes on her. She crossed her legs, silently wishing that she wasn't wearing her pink pajamas. "Barry. Hi!" She greeted in return. "I didn't know you were coming over."

"I know, I'm sorry. It's just that -" He then held out the balloon, pulling them into the room. "Here... This is for you..."

She stared at the balloon animal strangely before it finally clicked in her mind. Her cheeks blushed once more and she suddenly felt self conscious. "So you got my hint huh?"

Barry coughed, clearing his throat as he tried to keep his rapidly beating heart from exploding. "Yeah... I got your hint." He replied, nodding his head. He handed over the balloon and then nervously chuckled. "Sorry, your mother, um... she saw me first... and I think I owe her a balloon animal now..."

That was all it took for them to break that ice and pretty soon, they were talking again like old friends... only this time, the both of them knew that there was something undeniable in the air. Something that left both of them yearning for me. Caitlin eagerly took the balloon, taking a few seconds to admire his handywork. A part of her was glad that she wrote that letter, conveying that she had feelings for her best friend.

"I'm glad you didn't give it to her Barry. I like this one more." She said, smiling at him.

He smiled in return, his eyes taking in everything about Caitlin Snow. "I um..." He started saying but he couldn't find the words to continue. His eyes continued to stay fixated on that smile of hers.

"Yes Barry?"

Even the way she said his name made his legs a little wobbly. He mustered up the courage and quickly spat the words out. "Wouldyouliketohavedinnerwithmetonightifyourenotbusy?"

Caitlin blinked a few times before giggling. "Do you think you can repeat that in a normal fashion Barry?"

He merely nodded and took a deep breathe. "Would you think you would um... like to get dinner with me?" He watched for her reaction, hoping that it wasn't a mistake but when she took longer than normal, he started to worry. "Caitlin?"

Different kinds of scenarios started to go through his mind. Perhaps she didn't want to grab dinner with him. Perhaps she only liked him as a friend or even worse, he was too late. He was about to speak up again when she started pushing him out of her room. "Caitlin?!" He exclaimed, her actions catching him by surprise.

"I can't change with you in the room Barry." She replied, "Just... wait outside okay? Don't go anywhere."

The door gently closed behind him but he could hear some very distinct noises coming from her room. All of which left him feeling much better than before and a definite smile on his face. "I'd wait forever." He whispered, "I finally found someone who is my best friend, someone who I want to make happy. I would be a fool to go anywhere else but here."

He wouldn't tell her this. Not right now but if there was a possibility in the future that he had a chance to say these words, he would do it again in a heartbeat. "Take your time Caitlin. I'll always be here."

~Fin

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I hope you guys enjoyed it.


	4. Chapter 4

Every time I look back at this couple, the more I find myself rooting for them on the show. Is it just me?

* * *

**Day 4: Halloween**

With the soft melodies coming from the band, Barry couldn't help himself from being lost in those brown eyes of hers. Their bodies slowly swayed together along with the music; her perfume was intoxicating to him and all he wanted was for this night not to end. He didn't know her name, nor did he know what she looked like under that red mask of hers but her eyes were more than enough for him.

Those beautiful mesmerizing eyes of hers.

"You're so beautiful." He found himself muttering. His heart fluttered against his chest, her touch setting his skin on fire.

She softly laughed, shaking her head. "We could've had an entire evening to ourselves if someone found me sooner." She teased.

Barry blushed, feeling his cheeks heating up. "Sorry." He apologized. "I'm usually not one for masquerade balls..."

"I'm not either."

They continued to twirled around the dance floor, his hand never once leaving hers. It didn't matter if there were other couples on the dance floor because for tonight, the only person he had eyes for was her. She leaned into his touch, resting her head on his shoulders. He pulled her closer to him, holding her if she was the most precious object in the entire building. They didn't need to exchange any more words, their movement speaking volumes.

When the song finally ended, neither one of them wanted to pull away. "Do you think I can learn the name of the woman who has held me hostage this evening?"

"I believe you were the one who held captured me stranger." She said, lightly poking him on the shoulder.

Barry chuckled, taking a small step back and pretended to be hurt. "You wound me. Here I was thinking that you actually enjoyed my company tonight." He saw those lips of hers tugged upward into a smile and he couldn't help but to mirror one as well.

What initially started as an innocent question soon led to more questions... and eventually... it lead to an undeniable attraction that ended with them on the dance floor. He still wasn't quite sure how it happened but he was happy that it did. There was something about her that captivated his attention and as a scientist, he couldn't let that go. Not without finding out why.

"I feel like I know you..." He whispered, staring into her eyes. "It's strange because I usually don't do this ever. I don't want you to think I'm some kind of player. I'm not!" He was quick to explain.

"It's okay Barry. I know you're not."

His eyes widened, taken back by surprise. "Ho-how do you know my name?"

She laughed, her smile never once disappearing. "Your eyes." She pointed out. "I've never seen anyone with such green eyes before."

Barry sighed and started to slowly removing his mask, a blush apparent on his cheeks. "Well, this is awkward." He said. "If you know my name, then that means that we must have crossed paths at some point."

"We have." She answered. "A few times in fact."

Perhaps it was the way she was teasing him or perhaps it was the thrill of a mystery but whichever it was. He found himself to be the lucky one tonight. "Not even one hint?" He asked, wiggling his eyebrows. She giggled in return but still shook her head. "How am I supposed to know who you are if you don't give me a hint? I think it's only fair."

"You're a CSI Barry Allen." She whispered, her eyes filled with amusement. "Are you sure you're the right man for the job?"

He groaned. "Now you're just showing off."

"Perhaps."

Barry offered his hand, silently indicating that he wanted to lead her off the dance floor. She took it with hesitation, an action that he noticed. There weren't too many women in his life that he kept in contact with. He made a mental note to start filtering down that list. His feet lead them away from the main ball room, exiting from a nearby side door that was roped off to the public.

"Off-limits to everyone but the CCPD."

"I didn't ask."

"You were thinking it." He answered without turning around. "I could hear those gears turning in your head."

She pouted but the smile still remained on her face. "I don't recall you ever being this cheeky."

He let that comment go but he couldn't remember when he's had such a good time. As they continued walking down the hall, his hand unintentionally squeezed her hand and he was about to apologize when she squeezed back. It was a small, comforting action but it surprised him. He heard her giggling from behind him but he didn't stop. He eventually lead her into a smaller room, a baby grand piano sitting by the window.

"I'm not ready for this night to end." He admitted to her. "If I could, I would dance with you all night."

"There's no music." She pointed out. "How can we dance without music?"

"Like this." Barry took out his phone and swiped to an app that he sometimes used to play music whenever he was working late. Having some music in the background helps his thought process. He spent a few seconds scrolling through a few tracks before settling on one and placing his phone on top of the piano. Soft notes soon follow and he slowly walked back over, holding his hand out with an inviting smile. "Shall we dance?"

She eagerly took his hand and she felt him pulling her towards him. Laughing, she twirled right into his arms and they were soon dancing to a slow song. "I never knew you were such a romantic Mr. Allen."

"There's a lot that you don't know about me." He winked. "I honestly think that it's only fair that I should know your identity since you know mine. Are you sure you don't want to tell me?"

"That would be cheating Barry."

Barry laughed, not letting her answer discourage him. At this point, she barely gave him any clues other than what he could see with his two own eyes but that was okay with him. He would rather have this moment with her than to lose this. Life was full of moments and he was choosing his right now. To spend it with this woman who has captivated his heart tonight.

"Do you live in Central City?"

"Yes I do."

"Aha!" He exclaimed before laughing once more. "That only narrows it down to..." He did some quick calculations in his head. "Several million of people..." He frowned but then smiled. "That's okay because the only thing that matters right now is this dance."

Her heart melted at his words and a part of her wanted to take off her mask. To introduce herself as Caitlin Snow, a scientist at S.T.A.R Labs that works together with the CCPD as apart of a joint program. She wanted to tell him but she didn't. She may have developed a crush on him over the past several months but she still hasn't worked up her nerve to tell him.

"Are you sure you want to know Barry?" She whispered, "All you have to do is take off my mask..."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

They stopped swaying to the music, his attention now focused on the mask. His fingers slowly reached up and gently caress the mask, her skin shivering at the initial contact. Just as he was about to pull the mask off, he stopped himself and stepped back. "I can't." He shook his head. "Not like this."

"I thought you wanted to know who I am."

"I do." Barry whispered. "I really do. You have no idea how much I want to know who you are under that mask but I want to do this right. Tonight has been filled with such happy memories that I don't want to ruin it with taking a shortcut."

"And what if you don't find me. Wouldn't that leave you with a sad memory?"

"Yes it will." He answered, leaning closer to her. "I'm not a firm believer in fate but if it's meant to be, I will find you but until then... I want to enjoy every possible moment with you."

She reacted with his movement, choosing to rest her head against his shoulder. She could feel his arms wrapping themselves around her waist, her heart knocking loudly against her chest. She gave him an out, every fiber of her being begging for him to take it off. For her to take off her mask herself but when she listened to his words, she couldn't.

Not when he was determined to find her. An idea then popped into her mind and so she picked her head up. "Hey Barry. Can you close your eyes for a few seconds?" She saw the inquisitive look on his face and smiled in return. "Trust me."

Barry slowly closed his eyes, wondering what she was about to do. Even with his eyes closed, he could feel her moving but what surprised him was the feeling of someone's lips on his. It was her lips and as much as he wanted to open his eyes, he just leaned into the kiss. It was unlike anything that he's felt before and it sent a tingling feeling down his spine but before he could react more into the kiss, that feeling disappeared.

His eyes shot open and she wasn't there anymore. He spun around and looked around, trying to see if she was just hiding but she wasn't. His heart dropped but he knew that this wasn't over. Not by a long shot.

_The Next Day  
S.T.A.R. Labs  
_

Caitlin walked into her office, feeling conflicted over her emotions. A part of her was still floating on air from the events last night, especially that kiss but she couldn't convince herself to stop feeling guilty about leaving Barry like that. She didn't plan for it to happen like that but she was happy that it did.

If it wasn't for that party, she wouldn't have found the nerve to go up to Barry, lest initiate a make-out session with him. She sighed and sat down at her desk, burying her head into her arms. Every time she closed her eyes, she could still feel those lips of his and it left a smile on her face.

Several knocks on her door suddenly interrupted her memories of last night. She quickly picked her head up and saw a UPS delivery guy standing there, holding a relatively small package. "Yes? How can I help you?" She asked, wondering if the man was lost. She certainly wasn't expecting any packages.

"I have a delivery for Caitlin Snow." He answered, holding up his clipboard.

"That's me." She answered, still confused on who would have sent her a package. She took the clipboard from him and quickly scribbled her name. The delivery man nodded and walked away, leaving her alone. She inspected the box for a few seconds before shaking it a few times. There was a slight rattle so she put the box down and opened it. Her eyes widened when the rattle turned out to be a single red rose.

She picked up the beautiful flower and noticed a small note attached to it. With her free hand, she slowly opened the note and her lips quickly turned upward into a smile.

'_I told you I would find you Miss Snow. Dinner? - Barry'_

~Fin

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Kudos if people recognize this scene. I had to use it. It was perfect.


	5. Chapter 5

The theme of this chapter told me that I should have written about how Barry/Caitlin hold each other's heart, mix that with Christmas and it would have been an awesome fluff chapter but I wanted to do something different.

* * *

**Day 5: ****Captivity**

Her smile is all he sees when he closes his eyes. He knows that she's going to be disappointed in him but perhaps she would understand that it wasn't his fault this time. He tried so hard to avoid them but not even super-speed could prepare him from being ambushed like that. He let his guard down just for a second. Not even. When Cisco asks, he's going to say it was less than a millisecond but she would know.

She always knows.

Barry groaned as he nursed his broken ribs, trying to keep himself upright to minimize the pain. Breathing was just as painful as trying to stay awake. There was a slight chance that during the fight, he might have gotten a concussion from the blow to the head which was why he was trying to stay awake.

He thought about what Caitlin would do but all he could remember was how amazing she looks in that white lab coat of hers. He could see her frowning at him, shaking her head as she tended to his wounds but he knew that she wasn't upset at him. She was upset that he got hurt.

"I'm sorry Caitlin." He muttered an apology. She wasn't here but he wanted to think that in some shape or form, she would be able to hear his apology. Hours have already gone by and he was starting to notice that his wounds weren't healing at their usual rate. He used his free hand and placed it on the wall and tried to vibrate at the molecular frequency but no matter what he did, his hand wouldn't move. With a terrible sinking washing over him, he was starting to realize just where he was.

It was the exact same box that Zoom used on Earth-2 to keep him trapped. Whoever ambushed him earlier went through a lot of trouble for him. Studied him. Prepared for him.

"Are you finally awake Flash?" A voice echoed into the room. Barry intuitively reached for his cowl, slightly relaxing when it was still covering his face. "There's no point in knowing your secret identify. You can relax. None of us peeked under the hood if that's what you're wondering."

"What do you want from me?" Barry half-growled. He tried to project his voice, to sound more confident but it took almost all of his energy to keep himself from passing out. "You won't get away with this."

"But I already have."

The room then started to shake before an electrical current surrounded the room, shocking Barry. His eyes widened from the sudden shock, pain rippling through his body. He wanted to scream but nothing came out. He gritted his teeth but after a few seconds, the pain was too much and he dropped to the floor, gasping for air. "St-stop. P-please."

"It would do you well to remember who controls your life Flash."

Barry felt his vision fading as he merely nodded, unable to trust his voice. He rolled over to his side, choosing to stare at an empty wall. "Cait... Lin..." He whispered before the darkness engulfed him.

The next time he woke up, he wasn't sure how long he's been out but his body was still in no condition to move. "Damn it." He uttered. "Where am I?" He tried looking around, trying to see if he recognized anything but all he saw was four walls of cement. There were no windows, no visibility to the outside but that didn't stop him. He pressed his ear against the cold wall, trying to pick up on any outside noise.

Vehicles. Animals. He just needed something to make a noise.

"Glad to see you awake Flash." That eerie voice said over the intercom. "Let's begin."

Barry's adrenaline kicked in and he struggled to pull himself up. He backed himself away from the door and prepared for a fight. They might have caught by surprise the first time but he was ready for them. This will not be a repeat. The door to the room kicked open and several guys rushed in, fully decked out in body armor. He threw a wide haymaker but with his body screaming just from standing up, his movement was too slow. The guards saw it coming and before he knew it, they tackled him to the ground. Two of them held his arms back while the third one started throwing punches to his stomach, intentionally hitting his ribs.

"St-stop!" Barry pleaded, weakly struggling against his captors. He felt the guards staring at him with hatred in their eyes. Their grips tighten but his focus wasn't on them. It was on the open door behind them. If this room was somehow dampening his powers, it might also be blocking Cisco's vibes. He needed to make a break for it, even if it was for a second.

"Do you hear that boys? Central City's hero is begging like some lowlife." The guard taunted, eliciting laughter from the rest. "Why don't we throw him another welcoming party?"

As the guard was reaching for his baton, Barry went limp in their arms. He felt their grips loosening and he counted to three. He took a deep breathe, knowing that what he was about to do was going to hurt like hell. He would only have one shot at this. If he can just escape this room for even a second, he might be able to restore his connection to the speed force and hopefully that would give him enough time to escape.

"Do you think he fainted?" One of the guards asked. Barry ignored him, mentally focused on pushing through. Two seconds went by and he felt that their eyes were now off him. He started tensing up the lower half of his body, his legs ready to move. His gut told him it wasn't time yet. Not until that bastard spoke.

"Wake him up."

That was his cue. His eyes shot open and his legs took off. Even without his abilities, his actions took them completely by surprise. He slipped the two guards easily, pulling his arms free and ramming his shoulders against the third guard. He looked the man in the eyes, grinning all the way as he shoved him to the ground, body armor and all. His body moved past him, the entrance just a few inches away.

"Stop him!" The downed guard yelled, Barry now recognizing his voice. It was the same one that came over the intercom. "Get up you idiots! Don't let him get out! Press the damn button!"

He didn't look back. Not at the guards. Not at what they meant by button. His body crossed the threshold and at that moment, he felt his connection back to the speedforce. It felt like reuniting with an old friend. His body hummed with electric speed force energy and his wounds started to heal but before anything else could happen, his vision started going dark. "Not yet." He said, gritting his teeth as he willed his legs to keep moving.

"You almost did it Flash. You were just so close."

The next time Barry opened his eyes, he felt himself chained up against the wall. He wanted to tug on the chain a little but his arms weren't responding. None of his limbs were. He sighed and started coughing, wincing at the taste of copper in his mouth. His eyes couldn't stay open, anything but darkness hurts his eyes. At this point, he's not even sure how long he's been in here since they ambushed him. His only hope was that during that split second connection to the speed force, Cisco and Caitlin was able to track him.

He closed his eyes once more, his body on the verge of exhaustion. He could see Caitlin's face, shaking her head at him. Frost would probably come out as well to kick his ass for upsetting her. Of course, he would grovel and apologize and perhaps run to Star City to buy a bunch of those coffee beans that she loves so much but the idea of her being upset with him left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Some rather loud noises soon knocked him out of his daydream. He looked up at the door curiously, wondering what was going on. He could hear men screaming and sounds of automatic weapons being fired but after a few minutes, it went silent. His heart started pounding, adrenaline pumping through his system. He started tugging against the chain, hoping that it was flimsy enough to be yanked out. His eyes kept staring at the door, hoping that whoever was on the other side wasn't coming to kill him.

"How cute. Girlfriend to the rescue."

Girlfriend? Barry stopped tugging and did a double-take. Just who on earth was on the other side of this door?

"You got that right!"

His eyes widened and realized that it was Frost. He stopped tugging and slumped to the ground, relief flooding his body. The nightmare was finally over. He waited patiently knowing that once Frost sets her mind to something, nine out of ten times, it's going to end up with her getting her way. The temperature suddenly dropped and he could make out tiny snowflakes surrounding his cell door. A few seconds later, it shattered like glass. She stepped through and saw Barry on the ground. "Miss me?" She smirked.

"You have no idea." He said honestly. "How did you find me?"

"You can thank Cisco for that. I'm not sure how that little nerd did it but he detected an anomaly in the results a few days ago and tracked it to this location. Joe did some recon and saw some very shady characters entering and leaving this building so they sent me in. Good thing too. Caity's been worried sick about you and once we saw what they were doing to you, those goons were lucky they got me instead of her."

"Is she mad?"

"Upset and relief." Frost answered. He nodded and gestured to his chains. She snorted and with easily broke the chains. "Let's get you home Flash."

He merely nodded, wanting nothing more than to go home. He leaned into her shoulders, slowly walking but her next action caught him by surprise. He felt a chilly peck on his cheek, almost if someone had just kissed him. "Did you..." He turned and stared at Frost, who avoided eye contact as she stared at the ground. "I missed you both." He said, smiling.

"Don't make me freeze you." Frost retorted, rolling her eyes. "That was from Caity. Not me."

"Sure." Barry softly answered. "Whatever you say Frost. Whatever you say."

~Fin

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Fun. I liked this little scene.


	6. Chapter 6

I was on spotify listening to my normal radio station when Taylor Swift's Mine came on. The rest was history and from that moment, I knew I had to do a scene like that.

* * *

**Day 6: Mine**

Caitlin swore to herself that the only possible reason, the only _logical _reason why she kept coming back to this coffee shop was for the coffee. It absolutely wasn't because of that green-eye barista who remembered her order from the first day.

It really wasn't.

This place was situated perfectly for her. It was close enough to campus that she didn't have to rush back to class and it was close enough to her apartment that she didn't have to worry about getting home too late. She was absolutely certain that she chose this place because of the location. It certainly wasn't because of Barry.

"One iced hazelnut latte with a double espresso shot for Caitlin."

Speaking of Barry, Caitlin looked up from her books found herself staring into those green eyes again, blushing as she tried to look away. "Thank you Barry." She murmured. He smiled in return and she saw him staring at all of her books scattered across the table. "Research materials for my thesis." She explained as she reached for the cup. She didn't notice that he still had his hand on the cup when she reached for it which caused their fingers to briefly brush up against each other. She quickly pulled away, muttering an apology.

Barry laughed, shaking his head. "It's okay Caitlin. I don't bite." He winked and started walking away, heading back to the counter.

Her cheeks had a slight hint of pink as her eyes watched his retreating back. She sighed and took a small sip of her drink, tasting the temperature before smiling when it was perfect. She played around with the cup in her hands, staring at the way that Barry wrote her name. She liked the way that instead of writing out her last name, he drew a little snowflake. It was such a little thing that most people might dismiss as nonsense but to her, it showed that he cared.

They were friends after all but perhaps... maybe one day... they could be something more. Her eyes widened, surprised at the idea. She feverously shook her head, trying to stop herself from imaging that kind of future with Barry. Her eyes then drifted over to the counter, expecting to see him standing there but what she didn't expect was for him to pull up a seat in front of her. He casually sat down, holding his own cup of coffee.

"Do you mind Caitlin?" Barry asked, looking unsure. "If you're busy, I can grab a seat in the backroom. I don't want to disturb you..." His voice trailing off.

She merely nodded, gesturing for him to sit down and his face lit up like a small boy on Christmas. She couldn't help but giggle, finding his expression adorable. "So Barry Allen..." She said, letting the name roll off her tongue with ease. It was almost as easy as saying Caitlin Allen...

Her heart continued to flutter, her mind wondering away from the conversation and into a possible future that she could have with this man. Perhaps it was her little crush that pushed these thoughts into her head but she didn't mind the distraction. Too many times has she sat in a lecture only to see his face smiling back at her.

"So Caitlin Snow..." She heard him whisper back. "What brings you into this coffee shop on a Friday night?"

There were so many answers she could have given. To see you. To spend time with you. But she didn't say any of that. She couldn't. She didn't want to ruin the relationship that she had with him over some silly crush of hers.

"Life of a PhD student." She answers instead. "All work and no fun."

Barry notices the slight drop in her tone and smiles. "You're working for a future that you believe in Caitlin. No one but you can take that away. Perhaps you need a break Doctor Snow." He teased, his fingers playing with the bottom of his paper cup.

"With you?" She whispers, unable to control the words coming out of her mouth. It was unintentional but it slipped out none the less. She notices the look of surprise on his face and instantly regretted speaking. "I didn't..." She tried correcting herself. "I mean."

"Do you not want to?" He asked, holding out his hand. "I promise that I don't bite."

Caitlin didn't know what it was. Perhaps it was that boyish smile of his or the way that the situation just played out but there was no hesitation on her part. She placed her hand on top of his, silently eager to see where this would go. His hand gently cupped hers, lightly wrapping them around her fingers as he lead her up from her seat. She looked down at her books but he just shook his head. "We won't be long."

They left the store, looking back only once because it seemed like the right thing to do. A warm feeling spread through her body as they continued holding hands. She didn't say anything, glad that he couldn't see that blush on her cheeks. They walked in silent for a few minutes and it was only when he stopped that she recognize the place. This was a small stream that ran through their town but because it was so small, not a lot of people paid a lot of attention to it.

He led her over to the edge of the makeshift bridge and leaned against the wooden rails. "Do you see what I see Cait?"

She shook her head, scrunching her eyes as she tried to look into the pitch black of night. She also noticed that he called her Cait. A nickname that she hated growing up but coming from him, it felt natural. "There's nothing out there." She answered. "What am I supposed to see?"

"Just wait." Barry instructed, his eyes looking around as well. "There! Right there!" He reached for her hand, using it to point out into the darkness.

"Fireflies?"

"Fireflies." He repeated, still holding onto her hand. "They don't stay in this spot for long but when they do, the area just illuminates. You'll be able to see things that you wouldn't normally be able to see. It's like looking into a pool of endless possibilities."

Images soon flashed before her eyes, possibilities of a future that might still happen. They could fall in love, end up with two beautiful children that have their father's eyes but her brunette hair. Her heart raced at that possibility and the more she wondered, the more it felt so real. They would be living in a brick house, big enough for them to spend their weekends imagining what it would be like to be pirates or knights in a fantasy land. Their kids could spend Sundays jumping into their bed, waking them up and wanting nothing more than to get under the blanket to snuggle.

There would be disagreements. There would be fights but there would be uncontested, unconditional love between them. She would love him with her entire heart just as he would his.

She would be his as he would be hers.

It was a future that she didn't know she wanted until a few months ago. A future with him.

A future with Barry Allen.

"Why did you bring me here tonight Barry?" She softly asked. "This looks like a place where you want to bring someone special... not me..."

Barry shook his head. "You need to give yourself more credit than that Caitlin." He answered, turning to face her. He lifted up his hand to brush a few strands of hair back from her face, smiling as he took the opportunity to be close to her. "I don't know if you're aware but I like you Caitlin. I liked you since the day you came in." He pulled away and took a step back to give her room to process. "When you spend your free time in the coffee shop, it makes me happy that I get to see you. Even if it's just mostly me staring at you while you're studying." He then paused and quickly shook his head. "Not that I stare at you all the time. I mean I don't stare at you like that."

His voice stated trailing off but Caitlin could see his cheeks blushing even in the dark. It was adorable to her so she placed her finger on his lips, causing her cheeks to blush as well. It was quite a bold and intimate move on her part but she didn't see any other way of silencing him. Well one that didn't involve kissing him right now. She wasn't ready for that...

Yet.

"I like you too Barry."

His eyes widened and then he blinked a few times. "You-you do?" He asked. "Are you sure Caitlin? I don't want you to say it just because we're here and this is an intimate moment..."

"I would never do anything unless I'm positive about it Barry."

"Then can I take you out on a date next week?"

Caitlin smiled, nodding her head. "I would love that."

Barry chuckled and lightly bumped shoulders with her, smiling the entire time. "So how long have you liked me?"

"Long enough to know when you're just fishing for complements." It was a quick retort but it was playful in nature. Hearing his laughter was more than enough for her to know that he appreciated her response. "I'm glad you're mine Barry..."

He laughed and wrapped his arms around her, the smile never once leaving his face. He pressed his lips against her temple, lightly pressing a kiss. "I'm glad as well."

~Fin

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Just one more. I hope I'm not boring anyone.


	7. Chapter 7

Final chapter. It was my first time doing this and truth be told, I actually finished all seven chapters in a month. Over 16k words, several rewrites and possibility a few times of just quitting without submitting any of these chapters but I'm glad I didn't quit. Writing continuously for a month seriously burns a person out, no matter how many chapters or how many different stories you write. Your brain and your creativity needs a break.

With that said, enjoy the last chapter and please leave a comment if you enjoyed the series. There is one more chapter that I wanted to write but haven't found the time yet. I'll post it in the next week or so.

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**Day 7: Exes to lovers**

Breakups are hard. Barry understood that better than anyone. He wasn't naive when it came to relationships but this one broke him. He thought what he had with her was special. That they would be able to go the distance but it didn't matter anymore.

He knew on some level that they were incompatible but he still went for it anyway. It was a choice that he didn't regret making. The time that he was able to spend with her justified his actions but his heart wouldn't listen. It wouldn't agree.

In some ways, he loved her. He was still in love with her, even if it's been three months, twenty-seven days, three hours and sixteen seconds since they last saw each other.

"Are you going over there today?"

Barry looked up from his case file, surprised to see Joe standing in front of him with an amused look on his face. "Going where?" He answered, lying through his teeth. He knew where he needed to go but a little part of him was afraid. He wasn't ready to see her yet and if there were any signs that she's moved on, it would literally crush him. Like drop to the ground and let gravity take him kind of crushing.

"Barry. It's been a few months and Singh will be on your ass if you don't close this case by this week." Joe pointed out. "So you guys split up. People split up all the time. Maybe it was for the best but whatever happened, you need to put on your big boy pants and go over there!"

"Look Joe. I appreciate the pep-talk but i'm perfectly fine running the results here. There is nothing that S.T.A.R Labs have that I don't have in my own lab."

"Didn't you say you needed some kind of star trek device for this case?"

"No. I said I _wanted_ a molecular unscrambler." Barry corrected, pouting slightly. "But who needs that expensive, state-of-the-art device anyway. I can do the exact same thing with the help of three separate machines instead."

Joe didn't comment further. He's known Barry long enough that you can't push him into doing something. All you can do is gently guide him in the right direction and hope that he doesn't trip along the way.

"You think I should go over there?" Barry then asked.

"Do you think you should go over there?"

"I guess I should go over there." Barry slowly answered, still unsure about this. "Are you sure about this Joe? What if I run into her?"

The detective sighed and placed a hand on Barry's shoulder, giving him a firm squeeze. "You're a man Barry. You can't keep avoiding her forever." He said before walking out of the lab. "And for what it's worth, I thought the two of you were great together. You just needed to grow up."

Barry's jaw dropped, surprised at the last statement. "Grow up?" He stuttered. "This coming from the man who loses his remote controller at least once a day?!" Ignoring the laughter coming from his foster father, he reached for his CSI bag and started placing the evidence neatly into the bag. There were several specimen that needed to be tested for residual matter and it needed to be identified. He could've done it here in his lab but that would have taken days. CCPD was on a deadline on this case and Singh did tell him this took top priority.

He inwardly groaned and started walking out the door, the bag in one hand and his car keys in the other. He wished it was under better circumstances but beggars couldn't be choosers. He walked towards his car, an old gray jeep and quickly started the engine. It sputtered for a few seconds before roaring to life and started driving away.

It didn't take him long to reach S.T.A.R Labs but on the entire ride over, all he could think about was Caitlin. They haven't kept in contact since their breakup but he would occasional stalk her on Facebook. He told himself it was for her well-being and he wasn't being jealous. He only wanted to make sure she was okay and not dating some creep but luckily for him, all he found was random shots of Coffee.

As he walked through the front doors of S.T.A.R Labs, the sight still left him breathless. This place was the front-runner on everything science and technology related. Any new advances in those fields would be introduced here first. He tried controlling his giddiness but the secretary saw right through him. "Mr. Allen I presume?"

"Yes ma'am. That's me." Barry held up his CCPD badge and his evidence bag. "I'm here for some assistance on a case that i'm working. I believe Dr. Wells is expecting me."

She took one look at him and then returned her focus to the monitor and started typing away. A few keystrokes later, she looked up and shook her head. "Dr. Wells is not onsite today."

"What? Seriously?" He interrupted, shaking his head. "You don't understand ma'am. I need to close this case today or my captain will have my ass on the firing squad." His eyes widened and then looked over at the screen. "Isn't there someway that you can just let me in? Please. I swear I'm a scientist. I'm not as great as the people working here but I am one! I can show you my credentials if helps."

The secretary took a step back before raising one hand to push Barry back to the other side. She rolled her eyes and calmly sat back down, taking the time to smooth out her blouse. "Sir. If you hadn't interrupted me, I would have told you that Dr. Wells had left instructions for you to use the lab equipment."

Barry let out a sigh of relief and then apologized for his outburst. "That's great and sorry again for that..." He paused momentarily. "Can I go use it now?"

"Yes. Just let me call Dr. Snow. She will be the one overseeing your time here at S.T.A.R Labs."

His jaw dropped and his eyes widened once more. "Dr. Snow? As in Caitlin Snow?" He asked, his voice rising several octets. It came out like a squeak that he had to cough a few times for him to return back to his normal voice. "She's the one overseeing me?"

"That is correct. Please proceed down the hall and make a right. Board the elevator and go down to sub-level 3. Once there, take two lefts and it will be the first door on your right."

He merely nodded, mentally repeating the instructions. He's been here a few times, both on and off duty but he's always had an escort. Today was the first time they actually allowed him to walk there himself so he was determined not to get lost. His hand gripped the evidence bag a little bit too tightly as he exited the elevator and made his way towards the lab. His heart pounded against his chest with every step, knowing that standing between him and the lab was one Caitlin snow.

His hand reached for the door but before he could twist the knob to open, it swung open without warning and caught him by surprise. His body went with the flow and ended up falling face forward towards the floor. Luckily for him, his body reacted and his knees took the blunt of the fall.

"Oh my god, Barry! Are you okay? I'm so sorry."

Barry looked up and weakly smiled. "Hi... Caitlin..." He greeted, his eyes giving his ex-girlfriend a quick once over. She was still as beautiful as the day he asked her out. Those innocent brown eyes staring back at him, it warmed his heart but it pained him greatly knowing that they weren't together anymore. She reached over to offer her hand but he declined, waving her away. It wasn't that he didn't want her help. It was that he didn't want to remember how good it felt just to hold her hands. "I'm fine." He announced as he got back up to his feet. "So... how are you doing?"

"Good. I'm good Barry. Thank you for asking." Caitlin politely answered. "How... have you been?"

"Good... Can't complain. The city keeps me busy... you know... being a CSI and all..." As uncomfortable as this was, Barry remembered the reason why he was here in the first place and then pointed to the bag by his side. "Do you think we can get started?" He inwardly winced at his tone. It sounded so cold and distant and not what he intended to go with.

He saw that quick look of surprise in her eyes. It was for a microsecond but it was there. He sighed and mumbled an apology. "Sorry. It's just a little awkward." He truthfully admitted. "Don't you think so?"

Caitlin agreed with him. "I don't see a reason why two people who once dated couldn't still remain friends. We're adults Barry. Surely you and I can co-exist in one city."

"Yeah... co-exist..." He mumbled. "We can do that." He then gestured for her to lead the way and she smiled back at him, leading him inside. He let out a small whistle as his eyes started to wander, taking stock of all the new equipment he has at his disposal. He overheard a chuckle from Caitlin and it made him smile. "What?" He asked. "You know I can't help it. You guys have all the new toys around."

"I know Barry and that's why I've arranged for us to be in this room. I don't know what your latest case is about but I'm positive that short of a particle accelerator, you'll find everything you'll need here."

"It sounds like you're not staying." He said, trying to keep from sounding disappointed.

"I am." She replied, smiling at him. "Dr. Wells might trust you enough to let you in here but I know you Barry. If I don't watch you, you might end up blowing up the lab."

His cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "That was one time Caitlin! I was making dinner and the kitchen survived didn't it?"

Caitlin giggled and nodded, leading them over to the table with the Molecular Unscrambler. "I remember that. I've never seen you move so fast trying to salvage our dinner."

"Excuse me for trying to cook up a romantic meal." Barry muttered. Despite how this was going, it definitely felt like old times when they were still together. The little teasing back and forth. His heart ached just thinking about it. He stopped in front of the table and placed his evidence bag on the table and gently removed the evidence carefully. He stayed focus on his objective and spent the next few minutes analyzing and staring at the results. Once in a while, he would look up and see Caitlin staring at him but he suspected that it was just out of habit, to make sure he wasn't going to break the lab equipment.

"You're doing it wrong."

"No I'm not." He replied as his fingers were still adjusting the machine. "It's not my first time."

"I know but don't you think you should let someone whose spent more than a few hours show you how it's properly done?"

"I got it Caitlin." He firmly replied, ignoring the fact that she was walking towards him now. "I may not have a PhD but I know what I'm doing."

Caitlin didn't bother listening to his complaints. She knew how stubborn Barry was so she merely walked up next to him, placed her hands on top of his and started fidgeting with the machine. Neither one of them said anything but they both knew. When her hand touched his, there was this immediate spark that drew them together in the first place.

"Cait... What are you doing?" Barry whispered. "You could've just told me what to do..."

She turned and faced him, not even caring how close in proximity he was. She stared into those green eyes of his, the ones she was accustomed to seeing. "You're too stubborn for your own good."

"Is the pot really talking to the kettle?" He chimed in, inching forward a little bit. He could smell the perfume that she had on and it was intoxicating. it was the one that he liked the most. He suspected on some levels that she knew that.

"We... we weren't... good... for... each other..." The words slowly left her lips as she tried to stop her urges from taking control. She knew why they broke up in the first place but as of right now, she didn't care for those reasons. All she wanted was to take those lips of his and never stop kissing him...

"Screw it." Barry threw caution to the wind and wrapped his arms around her waist, eliciting a gasp from her before closing the gap with his lips. His heart soared from the contact and he moaned against her lips as her arms wrapped themselves around his neck. Their kiss exploded like fireworks, a burning sensation at the bottom of his stomach and the only thing he wanted was her.

He licked his tongue across the top part of her lips, begging for access. He could feel her digging her nails into his skin and within seconds, she complied, granting him access. His tongue proceeded to go in, not at all surprise to feel her tongue wrestling with his. They went back and forth, kissing like their life depended on it until the machine beeped, waking them up from their make-out session. Barry was the first one to pull away, coughing as he turned his head and started to straighten out his shirt. From the corner of his eye, he saw her doing the same thing.

"I um."

"Yeah... that was um..."

Remembering what Joe said earlier in the day, Barry sighed and decided to break the tension first. "I missed you Cait. More than I care to admit."

"We're no good for each other Barry..." Caitlin replied, "We tried this." She waved her finger back and forth between them. "It didn't work out. Why would it be any better this time around?"

"Because I know what I want."

"And you didn't know what you wanted before?" She challenged, staring at him to continue. She crossed her arms against her chest, waiting for him to answer.

Barry merely smiled, rubbing his hand on the back of his head. He could still picture where her hands were just a few minutes ago. "I'm a guy Caitlin. Since when do we know what we want?"

"Well I'm a realist Barry and I know how this is going to turn out. I don't want to spend the next few months crying over you again. I don't want to go through that again!"

"My heart broke as well but I'm here. Asking for you to try again. I can't promise that I'll be less stubborn but what I can promise is that I'll be here until you don't want this anymore. I can't keep thinking about you Caitlin. You're in my head when I'm at work. You're there when I'm trying to close my eyes... I don't want to think about all the possible reason why we can't be together. I want to start thinking about all the reasons why we should."

Caitlin closed her eyes and shook her head, trying hard to keep those tears from spilling out. This was a mistake. She shouldn't have told Dr. Wells that she would cover for him today. She should've avoided Barry Allen today because if she did, she wouldn't be feeling her heart breaking again. "I-I can't." She said, her voice cracking up. "Breaking up with you was the hardest thing I've ever done."

She didn't expect him to wrap his arms around her. The familiar scent of his clothes made her feel safe and she lowered her head, tears now spilling out. She felt him tightening his arms and his lips against the side of her head. "I'm only going to get hurt again." She whispered.

"You won't." He confidently answered. "You know why?"

"Why?"

"Because I love you Caitlin. I love you and I knew it since the first time I met you."

Caitlin didn't want to believe him. She didn't want to believe the pretty lies that he's sprouting but she couldn't. Not when she could feel his heart. It was knocking on her front door, asking to be let in.

Barry continued to hold her against him, a warm feeling spreading throughout his body. "I didn't say it back then. I didn't know how to say it but someone told me I needed to grow up but the thing is... I don't want to grow up alone... I want to grow up with you by my side." He felt her pulling away and he knew that he can't let this chance slip through his fingers. Not again.

What he didn't expect was for her to punch him hard in the arm. He didn't want to squeal but he couldn't help it. It caught him by surprise and he winced from the contact. "What was that for?"

"That was for breaking my heart." She said, glaring at him. He went to open his mouth when she punched him again, this time in the same spot. "That was for making me cry."

"It's not on purpose!" He said, closing his eyes as he saw her still clenching her fist. He sighed and stood his ground, mentally preparing for another punch. What he didn't expect was a soft kiss to his lips.

"And that... was for telling me that you love me."

His eyes promptly opened, surprised to see Caitlin standing there with a smile on her face. "Does this mean..." She nodded and his smile only grew from there. The pain long forgotten, he rushed over and captured her lips in a passionate kiss.

The machine might have beeped several times since then but none of that didn't matter to them. They were opposites from one another. He was like fire. She was like ice. This is what broke them up the first time around but it was only then when they realized just how perfect they were for each other. People have said opposites attract. They just didn't know about these two.

~Fin

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I did it ma. I finished it!


	8. Chapter 8

I wanted to write one more chapter as a thank you for this event because why not? Inspiration hit when I was listening to a song on a radio when I was driving and I couldn't let this one go but before I end this story, I first want to do a shoutout to all the people who left reviews/follows on this story and a congrats to simplysnowbarry for organizing this.

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**Chapter 8: First Date**

He was speechless.

His mouth dropped slightly, awestruck at the beautiful sight standing before him. It took Barry a few seconds before normal brain function returned and even then, he was still speechless.

Just moments ago, Caitlin walked out of her room in a red evening gown, strapless and backless, the vision of her left him breathless. The words left his mouth without even trying. "Wow. Just wow." He murmured. There were about a hundred different words he could have used but that was all he could manage.

She giggled and did a small twirled, almost if she can read his mind because when he looks at her with those deep green eyes of his, her heart skips a beat. "How do I look Mr. Allen?"

He blinked twice, still unable to tear his eyes away from her. "Gorgeous." He answered, "Completely gorgeous." He unconsciously tugged on his red bow-tie, which was a gift from Caitlin just a few hours earlier before their first official date. Standing next to her, he was suddenly very aware that he probably looked like a mess and was starting to second guess his style of clothing tonight.

"Don't do that Barry." Caitlin said, her black stilettos clacking against the hardwood floors as she quickly crossed the room. She laid her hand on top of his, stopping him from taking off that bow-tie "I think you look rather dashing." She complimented, smiling as she fiddled with it. Her fingers tweaked it slightly but, in her mind, it made him look very handsome. "Perhaps you can give me a clue on where we'll be going tonight."

"That's a secret Cait." He coyly replied, secretly enjoying the close proximity between them. "I promise that you'll love it though."

"How can you be so sure hm?"

She was teasing him of course, they both knew it but he could see that light in her eyes, the ones that made him fall for her in the first place. It didn't happen overnight, his feelings for her. It was a slow start, even for the fastest man alive but they were always there. It took him years just to learn who Caitlin Snow was and he'd happily spend many more to learn what was in her heart.

He might never get there but he's going to try.

If it's ten thousand hours or the rest of his life.

"Because I know you." He whispered, taking the opportunity to interlace their fingers together. It was a small, intimate gesture but he was pleased that her cheeks blushed as well. He took a voluntarily step back to get a better look at her, the sight of her still leaving him breathless. "Shall we?" He asked, gently squeezing her hand.

Caitlin smiled in return, "Yes, we should. Should I grab my car keys... or...?" She purposely left her question open, hoping that Barry would at least provide a clue but he didn't rise to take her bait. She pouted but her mood didn't diminish at all. She was finally going on a date with the man she's been secretly in love with for years.

"We won't be driving." Barry pointed out and then walked over to her closet, pulling out her winter gear. He saw the confused look on her face and knew what she was about to ask so he gently pressed a finger to her rosy lips, eliciting a blush on both of their faces. "Just play along with me please?"

Her brown eyes darkened before she decided to press a small kiss against his finger, an action that caused Barry to blush even harder. "Only for tonight." She whispered, her warm breath sending chills down his back. He started to stutter, trying to formulate some kind of sentence but she didn't let him. She liked how nervous he was. Pressing one last kiss against his finger, she tugged on his other hand, smiling as she pulled him out the door.

"Hold on."

Before she could react, she found herself in his strong arms, holding her against his chest. "Barry?" She asked, tilting her head upwards to look at him. "We're not going anywhere local, are we?" The rumblings from within his chest answered her question so she playfully sighed and decided to press a small kiss onto the side of his neck. She felt his arms loosen as a result and she giggled, shaking her head. "Don't drop me Barry."

"Never."

Her lips tugged upward into a little smile, her stomach churning from the way he was staring at her. It made her feel like she was the luckiest woman in the world tonight, to be going out with a man who was not only her best friend but with someone who truly loved her for who she was.

His words, his actions... everything about Barry Allen left her with hope and love. It was something that she came to know about him over the years.

Ever since he woke up from the coma.

Ever since he showed her that the world wasn't only black and white.

She's come to trust her heart with him and hopefully, his with hers as well.

.

.

.

Grótta, Iceland

The crackle of the open fire filled the comfortable silence between them as they sat together on a heated sofa in the openness of Iceland. True to his word, Barry didn't give her any hints on where their first date would take place so when they arrived to find a glass room in the middle of the field, she was very surprised. There was a single, white table-clothed table in the middle of the room with dinner already prepared for them.

It was one of the best experiences in her life and definitely one of the best first dates ever but what she enjoyed the most was the playful conversation between them. It was different to see this side of Barry who wasn't the CSI Barry or the Hero of Central City Barry. This was _her_ Barry Allen. The one who she fell in love with. Midway through dinner, Barry lead her over to a sofa where she thought they were going to snuggle.

To her surprise, snuggling was only the afterthought because when they sat down, he immediately gestured to the sky and what she saw left her speechless.

"So what do you think of the lights Cait?" Barry asked as he pulled out several blankets from his side of the sofa. He draped them over their legs and then stared off into the endless night-time sky with her. "I hope this was worth the wait."

Caitlin didn't know if he did a play on his words but it didn't bother her. Not when she enjoyed the position that they were currently in. She was snuggled into his side, resting her head on his shoulders as their feet remained entangled together. A happy sigh escaped her lips as she turned her head to look at him. "The lights were just the cherry on top Barry." She answered. "You could've taken me to Big Belly Burger and I would've enjoyed that date. You know that right?" It was just for a moment but she saw that hesitation in his eyes, disappearing as quickly as it came. She couldn't help but smile, reaching upward to cup his cheek with her hand. "I would've followed you anywhere Barry Allen." She whispered.

And that was true. How they ended up here was a journey years in the making. From the moment he woke up from his coma, she found herself drawn to him. She wouldn't act on those feelings of course. It wouldn't be ethnically professional but over time, her feelings grew. Even when they were apart and with other people, there was this pull that eventually led them back together.

"How did I get so lucky?" He murmured. "You're amazing Caitlin. Any guy would be so lucky just to have a second of your attention but here I am... sitting in a seat that was probably meant for someone else..."

"Barry... That's not -"

"That's okay though." Barry interrupted, reaching for her hands at the same time. He gave them a gentle squeeze but he didn't let go. Her hands felt cold but he didn't mind it. Not when his hands were little warmer than most. "All it proves is that I have to try harder to make sure that I keep that heart of yours safe."

Hearing his words, the soft and sincere tone that followed, her eyes started to water. She blinked a few times, trying to keep her emotions in check but the way that he looked at her, it was hard enough. Just when she thought she couldn't love this man even more, there was this whole other side to him that she didn't even know existed.

"I might not be the richest man in the world like Oliver and I might not be the smartest man in the world like Harry but I want to be the man who will always put you first Caitlin. I want to put your happiness above all else because at the end of the day, I want to be running home to you."

At this point, tears were slowly falling down her face. She reached over and gently cupped his face, pressing a light kiss against his lips. She felt his arms wrapping themselves around her and she leaned further in. Her heart was so full of happiness that she didn't think it would ever be possible. "You _are_ my home Barry." She said as she kept kissing his lips. "You could be the Flash or you could be a CSI and I would love you either way."

"Isn't it way too early to tell me that you love me Cait?" Barry teased, breaking apart and brushing away the stray tears from her beautiful face. "It is only our first date you know."

Caitlin pouted but she let the matter go. Even if he wasn't going to say it back to her, she knew in her heart that he was the one for her. There wasn't anyone else that could come close. "You know me Barry. I've always been sure of what I wanted."

He pulled her into a tight hug, closing his eyes as he savior the moment. There would be plenty more of these for days to come but tonight... This was their first date... and there was only one of those. "Do you think we should tell Cisco?" He muttered and then he felt her pinching him. "Ouch!" He whined but kept the smile on his face. "Too soon?"

"Too soon." She grunted. "I'm here with my boyfriend, in one of the most romantic places in the world and all he could think about is our other best friend?"

"Sorry." He apologized but then pressed a kiss against her temple. "But you know he can spot us from a mile away. There's no way we can hide it from him. Not that I want to hide it. I want to show the world just how amazing you are."

She sighed but decided that dealing with Cisco would be for another place, another time because tonight, it was going to be about them. "Cisco will be fine Barry. He's a big boy and I don't think he'll be all that surprise." She cryptically answered.

"You told him already didn't you."

"How did... I didn't..."

Barry laughed and then pulled her into another hug. It was his way of telling her that he was fine with it. Even though there were no words exchanged between them, he knew she understood. This was one of the many reasons why he fell in love with her and even though he didn't say those three words back to her, he knew that she knew.

It was only a matter of time.

~Fin.

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How was it? Did you guys enjoy it?


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